The Peabody Awards

FRONTLINE: Confronting ISIS (PBS/WGBH)

Brave and in-depth reporting result in the best primer to date on the origins and continued threat of ISIS. Confronting ISIS clearly articulates the political complexities behind the rise of the terrorist group, their strategies in recruitment and tactics, and America’s diplomatic missteps and heightened challenges. Veteran FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith and his crew travel across the Middle East to countries considered U.S. Allies—Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey—to discover that the priorities of each in dealing with ISIS are often at odds with existing U.S. government policies. Embedded reporting with soldiers on both sides of the conflict in Iraq gives rare on-the-ground perspective. The documentary is unsparing of leaders across the board, revealing tensions that existed within the highest levels of government on how to address the ISIS threat. For riveting public service journalism that brings clarity to a problem that isn’t going away anytime soon, Confronting ISIS earns a Peabody Award.